Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2701) to direct the American Battle Monuments Commission to establish a program to identify American-Jewish servicemembers buried in United States military cemeteries overseas under markers that incorrectly represent their religion and heritage, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2701

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:

(1) An estimated 900 American-Jewish servicemembers of the Armed Forces, killed in World War I and World War II and buried overseas in United States military cemeteries were, for various reasons, mistakenly buried under Latin Crosses. In most instances, those mistakes were made inadvertently.

(2) In 2022, more than 2,000,000 people visited the United States World War I and World War II cemeteries in foreign countries.

(3) American-Jewish servicemembers played a vital role in the Allied victories in World War I and World War II.

(4) American-Jewish servicemembers who fought and died for the United States must have their heritage properly recognized and honored.

(5) The United States Government has a solemn responsibility to ensure that every American servicemember killed in action and buried overseas is properly honored.

(6) The work of properly identifying American-Jewish servicemembers buried overseas is vital and integral to the responsibility of the American Battle Monuments Commission to ensure that past mistakes in honoring those servicemembers who died in the line of duty are corrected. SEC. 3. FALLEN SERVICEMEMBERS RELIGIOUS HERITAGE RESTORATION PROGRAM.

(a) Establishment.--The American Battle Monuments Commission shall establish a program to identify covered members and to contact survivors and descendants of such covered members. Such program shall be known as the ``Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Program''.

(b) Duration.--The Commission shall carry out the Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Program during the first five fiscal years that begin after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(c) Contracts.--

(1) Authority.--During each fiscal year described in subsection (b), the Commission shall seek to enter into a contract with a nonprofit organization under which such nonprofit organization shall carry out the purpose described in subsection (a).

(2) Term; amount.--Each contract under this subsection shall be for one year and in the amount of $500,000 to the nonprofit organization.

(3) Priority.--In awarding a contract under this subsection, the Commission shall give priority to a nonprofit organization that has demonstrated capability and expertise in carrying out the purpose described in subsection (a).

(d) Definitions.--In this section:

(1) The term ``covered member'' means a deceased member of the Armed Forces who was Jewish and buried--

(A) in a United States military cemetery located outside the United States; and

(B) under a marker that indicates such member was not Jewish.

(2) The term ``nonprofit organization'' means an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code. SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF PENSION.

Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking ``November 30, 2031'' and inserting ``January 31, 2032''.

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Mr. BOST. 2701.

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Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2701, as amended, offered by Representative Wasserman Schultz.

This bill would propel VA to identify and correct the gravestones of fallen American-Jewish servicemembers who were killed in World War I and World War II.

An estimated 900 American-Jewish servicemembers were mistakenly buried under a Latin cross headstone at overseas U.S. veterans cemeteries. This bill would seek to right this wrong by creating the Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Program. It would direct the ABMC, which maintains our cemeteries overseas, to contract with nonprofit organizations to identify these servicemembers and correct this to properly honor them.

Since the Revolutionary War, Jewish Americans have fought to defend our Nation's freedoms. Madam Speaker, it should go without saying that they deserve to be honored properly with the dignity that they have earned.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, H.R.
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Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I have no more speakers.

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Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I encourage all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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